Overview

• Over 1,600 pardons and commutations have been granted since January without standard Justice Department vetting
• Nearly 10,000 inmates have filed petitions, often framing themselves as targets of a “weaponized” Justice Department to appeal to the president
• Ed Martin Jr., a vocal Trump supporter who represented Jan. 6 rioters, now leads clemency reviews in place of career pardon attorneys
• Recipients have included political allies, major campaign donors and hundreds charged in the Capitol riot
• Legal experts warn that the break from historical norms represents a misuse of constitutional authority